Refrigerator



Dec. 16, 1924- 1,519,441

P. M. DAVIS REFRI GERATO R Filed July 23, 1923 y A TTURIVE V8 Patented Een. lino, i924,

UNETE. STATES PAUL yi,(torri:sonner Davis, or cnrcaeo, trainers.

REFRGERATOR.

Application filed July 23,

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL Monroonnnr Davrs. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Refrigerators. of which the lfollowing is a full. clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in refrigerators, and it consists in the cornbinations, constructions, and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The ordinary refrigerator consists of a receptacle, having heat insulated walls and containing an ice compartment which cools air that subsequently flows to the lower compartment, containing the food or other articles to be kept in a cool state. The water from the melting ice is ordinarily permitted to escape from the refrigerator while the ice is melted. This water is practically at a freezing temperature, and in itself would form a medium for keeping articles cold.

An object of my invention is to conserve this cold water which would otherwise be wasted.

A further object of my invention is to provide a refrigerator in which the heat insulating means is cold water which surrounds the food retaining compartment.

A further object of my invention is to provide a refrigerator of the type described, which is simple in construction and which requires a smaller amount of ice to keep it at a given temperature, than refrigerators of the type in which the food holding receptacle is cooled by air which is chilled by the ice in the upper chamber.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, andthe novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this application, in which- Figure 1 is a section of Figure 2,

Figure 2 is a section of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a section of Figure 1, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the water receptacle.

In carrying out my invention, I provide an exterior casing, consisting of side walls along the line 1-1 along the linc 2 2 along the line 33 1923, Serial No. 553,364.

1, a bottom 2, the rear wall 3, and the front wall 4. These walls are preferably of wood.

Disposed within the casing l is an inner metal casing, having outer walls 4, sides and bottom, and rear and inner walls 5 spaced therefrom. As will be seen from the drawings, a water space 6 is provided between the walls 4 and 5, along the sides, rear and bottom of the metal casing.

Secured to the outer walls 1, on the inner face thereof, are cleats 7, having notches 8 to receive cross bars 9, by which the ice may be supported. In order to retain the melted ice at the top of the inner casing, I provide a removable pan or tray like that shown in Figure 4. In this figure., it will be observed that the forward part of the tray is provided with an upwardly extending front portion 11, which is integral with sides 12, the latter 'being bent back upon themselves, as shown at 12. Similarly, a back portion 13 has portions 13 which are bent back upon themselves. At the center is a cut-away portion 14. The bent-over portions 12 and 13 are arranged to rest on the upper edges of the inner metal walls 5, so as to support the water tray in the position shown in Figure 2.

A drain pipe 15 is provided, which` extends to a point. level with the edge of the cut-away portion 14. and which passes through the bottom 2, where it may empty into a drain funnel 16, or other suitable means for carrying outJ water.

The top of the ice compartment may bc provided with a cover 17 arranged to fit snugly at the top of the outer casing 1, and this cover may be hinged or not, as desired.

From the foregoing description of the various parts of the device, the operation thereof may be readily understood. When the cover 17,is removed for placing in ice, there will be no down draft created, as in the case of the ordinary refrigerator, should one of t-he food compartment doors be open or slightly ajar, since there is no com* munication between the ice chamber and the food chamber. The latter may be provided with shelves 18 for retaining articles of food thereon. A door 19 permits access to the interior of the food compartment.

The water from the ice will at first fill the water pan up as far as the bottom of the cut-away portion 14, and therefore it will run over into the space 5 between tlie inner and outer walls of the metal inner casing, and Will eventually lill up to the top of the overiovv pipe 15. Further melting` of the ice will cause Water to run, out at the top of the drain, but this Water is the Warmer Water which has absorbed the lieat from the food-retaining compartment. and which therefore aids in keeping the latter cool. The colder Water from the melting iee Will How immediately downward, after passing the cut-away portion l-Ll., and tlie Cold Water Will entirelj,7 surround tlie food compartment. Thus the cold water from the melting ice is utilized, Where it would otherwise 'be Wasted. A given quantity of ice Will therefore last a mucli longer time in this refrigerator, than in one in Wliicli the ice cold Water is permitted to flow out im- 20 mediately.

Obviously tlie outer Walls l could be provided with air insulation or packing, if desired, Without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention.

I claim:

The combination, With an outer easing, of an inner metal easing, .having double Walls and a water-tight bottom, the space between said Walls constituting a Waterretainino' chamber, a metal Water pan hai'- ing' portions bent backY to form hooks for suspending the Water pan on said inner easing, said Water pan having an overflow out* let communicatingwith said Water-retaining chamber, means for supporting ice over said water pan, said means being disposed so as to permit the drip to fall into said Water pan, and a drain pipe having its upper end level with the overflow :trom said Water pan.

PAUL MONTGOMERY DAVIS. 

